Two British Soldiers Killed by Afghan Policeman in Insider Attack

Yet another green-on-blue attack was reported today in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, where a member of the Afghan police attacked and killed two British soldiers from the Royal Gurkha Rifles First Battalion at a police checkpoint.

Officials say they have yet to confirm if the attack was an actual policeman or just someone in a uniform, but it seems likely this was the case because he was deployed at the checkpoint. The attacker fled after the attack and is still at large.

Taliban in the region issued a statement claiming credit for the attack, and saying that the attacker, who they didn’t identify either, was now safely with them. They said he had infiltrated the Afghan police on their behalf.

This isn’t necessarily the case, of course, as the Taliban claims credit for all such attacks whether it was them or not. If confirmed, however, this will make 11 British soldiers killed in insider attacks this year alone, roughly a quarter of the troops they have lost overall.